About JFDA

The Jewish Funeral Directors of America, Inc. (JFDA) is an international association of 100 Jewish funeral homes and 170 Jewish funeral directors representing 23 states in the U.S., the District of Columbia and 2 Canadian provinces. Organized in 1932, JFDA is the oldest and largest organization of its kind.

JFDA’s meetings and seminars provide progressive educational content on a variety of topics ranging from Jewish funeral practices to current industry and legislative updates.

JFDA members are the experts to turn to when there is a death in the Jewish community. JFDA members work closely with all denominations of Judaism, ensuring traditional continuity, and are available to assist families with the arrangement of meaningful funerals, incorporating a variety of service options.

We pledge:

“To guide, aid and support our members in honoring the deceased and comforting the bereaved by preserving, promoting and practicing the customs and traditions of the Jewish funeral.”

Member Organizations

Find a Jewish Funeral Home or Funeral Director in your area.
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Publications

Our publications are available for purchase on a wide variety of topics for JFDA members only.
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Prayers and Meditations

Resources are available both for Jewish family members and Funeral Homes to aid in the grieving process, such as prayers over a spouse’s grave, meditations, and suggestions for green burial options.
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JFDA Giving Back

The JFDA is a caring organization. The JFDA members have all made a commitment to the perpetuation of Jewish funerals in North America, as expressed in our mission statement which is displayed on every page of this Web site. It is important to note that the JFDA is not just about Jewish funerals, as our focus is also on the Jewish community. Most of our members are entrenched in their local Jewish community, and some are even active on a global scale. JFDA members and their funeral home locations are considered integral parts of their communities and valued resources.

JFDA membership is open only to those funeral professionals specifically working with the Jewish community in their area. Annual membership fees are $100 in addition to ICCFA membership.

The JFDA has sent aid throughout the world when people are in need such as Hurricane Katrina, the Earthquake in Haiti and the Tsunami Relief. Our Donations and Contributions committee grants donations each year too several worthy organizations in North America including but not limited to:

Abramson Center for Jewish Life, North Wales, PA
Alcove Center for Grieving Children, Northfield, NJ
Alicia Joy Memorial Fund, W. Bloomfield, MI
American Board of Funeral Service Education, St. Joseph, MO
American Cancer Society, Hackensack, NJ
American Committee for the Weitzman Institute of Science
American Diabetes Association, North Canton, OH, and Alexandria, VA
American Friends of Magen David Adom, Hallandale, FL
American Heart Association, Stuart, FL, Baltimore, MD and Overland Park, KS
American Joint Distribution Committee, South Asia Tsunami Relief Fund, New York, NY
Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education, Melrose Park, PA
The Ark, Chicago, IL
Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, San Francisco, CA
Bronfman Israel Experience Centre (BIEC), Montreal, Quebec
Broward Hadassah, Broward County, FL
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Buffalo, NY
Chai Lifeline Camp Simcha Special, Lincolnwood, IL
Chai Lifeline Camp Simcha Special, Lakewood, NJ
Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home Foundation, Chelsea, MA
Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, New York, NY
Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston, MA
Congregation Bethaynu, Pepper Pike, OH
Congregation Beth Hillel, Pompano Beach, FL
Congregation Emanu-El, New York, NY
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Alexandria, VA
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund, Brookline, MA
Daughters of Miriam, Edison, NJ
Denver Campus for Jewish Education, Denver, CO
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Chicago, IL
Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc. New York, NY
Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, New York, NY
Gloria and Sheldon Pinck Family Fund, St. Louis Park, MN
Golan Fund – Pups for Peace, Seattle, WA
Hadassah, Brighton, MA
Hand-Kids, Bridgewater, MA
Health Care Dimensions Hospice, Brookline, MA and Waltham, MA
Hebrew Academy of the Capital District, Albany, NY
Hebrew Academy of West Queens, Richmond Hill, NY
Hebrew Cemetery, Congregation Beth Ahabah, Richmond, VA
Hebrew Free Burial Association, New York, NY
Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, NY
Henza Koenig for Pulmonary Oncology, Montreal, Quebec
Heska Amuna Synagogue, Knoxville, TN
Hospice Foundation, Buffalo, NY
Hospice of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Hospice of Metro Denver, Denver, CO
ICCFA Educational Foundation, Sterling, VA
Isobel Berlin Scholarship Fund, Associated Hebrew School, Toronto, Ontario
Jacob Perlow Hospice, New York, NY
JACS Teen Outreach Program, Toronto, Ontario
Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options, Sunrise, FL
Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts, Newton Centre, MA
Jewish Community Homes for Adult Independence, Philadelphia, PA
Jewish Community Hospice, Columbus, OH
Jewish Education Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Jewish Family & Career Services, Louisville, KY
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Greater Monmouth County, Asbury Park, NJ
Jewish Family Service, Las Vegas, NV
Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando, Winter Park, FL
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, PA
Jewish Home for the Aged, New Haven, CT
Jewish Home Foundation, Rochester, NY
Jewish Hospice Project of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, West Bloomfield, MI
Jewish Institute for Pastoral Care, New York, NY
Jewish Rehabilitation Center, Swampscott, MA
Jewish Student Centers of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation, Hollywood, FL
Klein Chaplaincy Services, Redondo Beach, CA
Lake Region Senior Center, Orlean, VT
Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, Longmeadow, MA
Lymphoma Research Foundation, New York, NY
Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Los Angeles, CA
Meyer Youth Cultural Programming Fund, Louisville, KY
Miriam Techner Memorial Fund at Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, Southfield, MI
ML4 Foundation, Atlanta, GA
Mosaic Colony, Inc., New York, NY
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Paramus, NJ
One Family Fund, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center, Los Angeles, CA
Pals Children’s Chorus, Brookline, MA
Palliative Care Center, Hospice of the North Shore, Jewish Care Services, Skokie, IL
Patty, Otto, and Annie Dube Fund, Farmington Hills, MI
Philadelphia Geriatric Center, Philadelphia, PA
Reena (Developmental Centre), Thornhill, Ontario
Response Center (Program of Jewish Federation), Chicago, IL
River View Towers, Pittsburgh, PA
Sivitz Jewish Hospice, Pittsburgh, PA
Sky Lake Synagogue, North Miami Beach, FL
Sova Community Food and Resources Program, Los Angeles, CA
Syracuse Jewish Federation, Syracuse, NY
Take a Break Children’s Summer Camp Program, Bronx NY
Ted and Evalyn Weinstein Memorial Scholarship Fund, Highland Park, IL
Temple Ahavat Achim Restoration Fund, Gloucester, MA
Temple Beth El, Providence, RI
Temple Beth Hillel Food Pantry, North Hollywood, CA
Temple Emanuel Library Fund, Providence, RI
Temple Shalom, Chicago, IL
The Community Hospice Foundation, Rensselaer, NY
The Foundation of Menorah Park, Syracuse, NY
The Passover League of Philadelphia, Bala Cynwyd, PA
United Jewish Communities, Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, New York, NY
Westwood Little League, Owings Mills, MD
Yeshiva at the Jersey Shore, Deal, NJ
Zareinu Educational Centre, Thornhill, Ontario

JFDA Committees

Executive Committee
Ed Rusnak
Mindy Botbol
Charles S. Salomon
Syd Waldman
Henry Epstein
Albert Bloomfield
Paul Goldstein

View more Leadership and Members

JFDA Officers

President
Edward Rusnak

Vice President/Co-chair
Charles Saloman

Immediate Past President
Robert P. Zimmerman